The UK has hit its hottest day of the year so far as temperatures could climb to as high as 30C in what would be the earliest point on record.
As Britain experiences a mini heatwave, the Met Office said the highest temperature recorded on Tuesday was 24.9C in Ross-on-Wye in Herefordshire – while temperatures of 29C and potentially even 30C are expected later in the week.
The previous hottest temperature this year was 24.5C recorded in St James’s Park, London, on Monday – which peaked at 24.7C on Tuesday.
The Met Office said temperatures could hit 27C or 28C on Wednesday in southern England and the Midlands.
The warm weather could also exceed the record for the highest April temperature in Wales – which is 26.2C.
Meteorologist Craig Snell said the most likely places to see the highest temperatures on Wednesday were “in a line from London over towards the West Country and into the Midlands”.
The meteorologist said: “The central southern parts of the UK are probably going to be where the highest temperatures will be tomorrow.”
Mr Snell said Thursday would be “the peak of the heat”.
He added: “We are likely to see 28C or 29C.
“And again, it’s going to be a corridor from the west of London over towards Bristol which will probably be the most likely places to see the highest temperatures.”
The meteorologist said the high temperatures on Thursday would result in one of the “warmest starts to May on record”.
Met Office chief meteorologist Paul Gundersen said it was “not particularly unusual to see warm and sunny periods in April where temperatures reach the mid-20s”.
He added: “However, it is more unusual to see temperatures reach the high-20s, and if we see 30C this week, it will be the earliest point in the year in which we have achieved that threshold.”
Temperatures are forecast to decrease across much of the UK on Friday as the high pressure starts to pull away.
The highest recorded April temperature was in 1949, when Camden Square, London, recorded 29.4C.
For May, the highest temperature recorded was 32.8C on 22 May 1922 in Camden Square.
The London Fire Brigade (LFB) has urged caution around open-water swimming after last month saw a 32 per cent increase in water-related incidents compared with the same period last year.
Craig Carter, LFB assistant commissioner for prevention and protection, said: “Even when the sun is shining, water temperatures can be dangerously cold. Cold water shock can affect anyone, no matter how fit or experienced they are.
“It can lead to water inhalation and, in the worst cases, drowning. Be particularly careful near the water’s edge, it’s easy to slip and fall unexpectedly.
“And think twice before jumping into open water.”
In the first quarter of 2025, LFB crews responded to 160 water-related incidents, averaging more than 13 per week compared with fewer than 11 a week in 2024, the LFB said.
